TAR23, Recap Leg 12, 12/8/13

Welcome to Leg 12! Last time, on Let’s Chase a Runaway Vending Machine, teams raced from Indonesia to Japan.  Leo and Jamal caught a break by getting to Tokyo first, but then fell behind in building robots.  And Leo and Jamal were eliminated.  So, now our final three!  Tim and Marie, the formerly dating couple who never seem to let up on the bickering long enough to breathe; Jason and Amy, the dating couple from Boston who have managed six second place finishes in eleven legs; and Nicole and Travis, the ER Doctors and parents who seem to be melting as we speak. Who will win The Amazing Race 23? (click for more)

Arrival at the pit stop last episode:
1st – Tim/Marie, Team Pinky and No Brain
2nd – Jason/Amy, Einstein YDC
3rd – Nicole/Travis, The Power Parents

Konno Hashimangu Shrine, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan

6:08 AM Tim/Marie (1st)
Clue: Fly to your FINAL DESTINATION CITY: Juneau, Alaska, USA!  Once there, travel to Douglas Island Harbor and take a marked boat to Grizzly Bar to get your next clue.

We learn that Marie made Tim sign a contract before the race stating that if they won, she would split their winnings with him 60-40.  (Toyouke: “Why would you sign a contract with your partner? WHY? What in the fuck is wrong with you!?  Why don't you just race with someone else?”)

6:15 AM Jason/Amy (2nd)

6:22 AM Nicole/Travis  (3rd)

Teams make their way and arrive at Narita Airport in the following order:

1- Tim/Marie
2- Jason/Amy
3- Nicole/Travis

All teams get on the flight to Juneau together and arrive in the following order:

1- Nicole/Travis  
2- Jason/Amy
3- Tim/Marie

Teams make their way to Douglas Island Harbor and arrive in the following order:

1- Nicole/Travis  
2- Jason/Amy
3- Tim/Marie

Teams get into their boats and arrive at Grizzly Bar in the following order:

1- Nicole/Travis  
2- Jason/Amy
3- Tim/Marie

And teams get the thirteenth and final roadblock clue.

ROADBLOCK:

Who’s got flour power?

In this roadblock, roadblockers must travel 150 feet in the air in a bush plane at 60 miles per hour and drop bags of flour to try and hit a target on the ground.  Once completed, the pilot will give them their next clue.

The following teammates take the Roadblock:

1- Nicole – who takes 21 tries.  (Toyouke: “Aww, I really wanted Nicole to nail that. If only to shut up Travis.”)
2- Amy – who takes 2 tries.
3- Marie – who takes 12 tries.

After much flying and flour dropping, teams complete the Roadblock in the following order:

1- Jason/Amy
2- Tim/Marie
3- Nicole/Travis

Teams are now instructed to take a helicopter to Norris Glacier and go on an ice expedition in order to get their next clue encased in ice.  Teams arrive at the helicopters in the following order:

1- Jason/Amy
2- Tim/Marie
3- Nicole/Travis

Teams then arrive at the glacier in the following order:

1- Jason/Amy
2- Tim/Marie
3- Nicole/Travis

After traversing a chasm and crawling through an ice tunnel, teams manage to find the wall of clues encased in ice in the following order:

1- Jason/Amy
2- Tim/Marie
3- Nicole/Travis

Teams retrieve the clues in the following order:

1- Jason/Amy
2- Tim/Marie
3- Nicole/Travis

Teams are now instructed to hike to the shore and paddle a tandem kayak to the nearby marked island to get their next clue.  Teams make it to the kayaks in the following order:

1- Jason/Amy
2- Tim/Marie
3- Nicole/Travis

They then kayak and arrive at the Marked Island in the following order:

1- Jason/Amy
2- Tim/Marie
3- Nicole/Travis

Teams get their clues and find out that they must take a helicopter back to Juneau and find Blueberry Hills Trailhead.  Teams get to the helicopters in the following order:

1- Jason/Amy
2- Tim/Marie
3- Nicole/Travis

Teams helicopters land in Juneau in the following order:

1- Jason/Amy
2- Tim/Marie
3- Nicole/Travis

And now teams race for the Blueberry Hills trailhead.  They arrive in the following order:

1- Jason/Amy
2- Tim/Marie
3- Nicole/Travis

And teams rip open the final clue.

FINAL TASK:

Teams find nine poles and pieces to nine totem poles.  When assembled, the totems will reveal the names of the currencies of each of the countries that were visited on the race.  Teams must assemble the totems and put them in the correct order to get their next clue.  For reference, the nine countries and their currencies are:

Chile: Peso

Portugal: Euro

Norway: Krone

Poland: Zloty

Austria: Euro

United Arab Emirates: Dirham

Indonesia: Rupiah

Japan: Yen

United States of America: Dollar

So, remembering the currency is much harder but you can work together.

There is much totem pole building.  They finish and get their clues in the following order:

1- Jason/Amy
2- Tim/Marie
3- Nicole/Travis

Once teams get their clue, they learn they need to make their way to the end of North Douglas Highway and turn down the driveway to find the FINISH LINE of this racearoundtheworld.  The first team to arrive WILL win the Amazing Race!

1- Jason/Amy
2- Tim/Marie

3- Nicole/Travis

Four continents, 9 countries, 35000  miles, Jason and Amy, you are the winners of The Amazing Race 23!  Amy: “It’s not second place!”  And we learn that Marie’s real reason for the ultimatum was that the deadline for the application was that day, and Tim was sitting next to her at that particular moment.

ORDER NOW:
1^st – Jason/Amy  
2^nd – Tim S./Marie
3^rd – Nicole/Travis  

4^th – Leo/Jamal

5^th – Ally/Ashley

6^th – Nicky/Kim

7^th – Tim W./Danny

8^th – Brandon/Adam

9^th – Chester/Ephraim

10^th – Rowan/Shane

11^th – Hoskote/Naina

Next time: TAR 24: All Stars!  According to the preview, some of our favorites will be back – Twinnies!  YouTubers!  Globetrotters!  Cowboys!  (Toyouke: “"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity"!? I heard you, cowboy, and this is your THIRD RACE so shut it.”)  Until next time!